The UAE prides itself as being one of the most progressive and dynamic environments, yet it lags behind many countries in working hours and vacation time; the government is even deliberating reducing the holiday entitlement to expatriates.
Here we examine what people in the UAE think about the hours worked and holidays granted, and compare it with other countries that have shorter working hours and longer holidays…
Many private sector businesses in the UAE have implemented a two-day weekend for some time now without losing out on productivity or profitability. Sectors like tourism, hotels, aviation and transport have been enjoying a two-day weekend.
While some have Thursday and Friday off, others take Friday and Saturday. Many companies located in Jebel Ali Free Zone have Friday and Saturday as a weekend break, though the Federal and Local Governments and many private sector companies take Thursday and Friday.
The two-day weekend is almost universal as more and more countries are adopt the practice. The UAE introduced a two-day weekend a few years ago for the public sector, while the private sector was given the freedom to make its own choice.
However, the dilemma has been over which day to choose to club with the Friday, which is the recognised official day off and a holy day. Should it be Thursday or Saturday?
While most businesses in the West close on Saturday and Sunday, many Gulf countries have opted for Thursday and Friday – affecting communication with the West for four of the seven days of the week. This affects business in many ways.
However, companies and organisations keep their offices open for emergencies and urgent work and communications – to continue business activities even during off days. Companies pay their officials for working extra hours and days.
Recently, Qatar changed its weekend from Thursday-Friday to Friday-Saturday to help its governmental administration and businesses bridge the divide.
Despite all these equations, the UAE's private sector has shown continued growth. Most officials in the private sector say that a two-day weekend helps them take a complete rest and get recharged for the following week.
"Workwise, it helps me to concentrate more as I've had a complete rest over the weekend and have peace of mind when I go to my office on Saturday," said an official of a leading shipping company. Most shipping companies in the UAE have a five-day week.
"One of the two days goes in either completing pending work at home, socialising, meeting friends or going out with the family. The second day helps me to take complete rest, watch a movie or read books and be with the family.
"Now that I have been enjoying a two-day weekend, I dread the idea of going back to a one-day weekend. I think everyone should have a two-day weekly off and, in any case, the productivity doesn't go down. Our company is making more money than it used to when we had a six-day week."
The tourism industry, airlines and hotels have also benefited from the two-day weekend. "As long as a company hires responsible professionals, it doesn't have to worry about the work, be it a six-day or a five-day week or any other office timing," said a seasoned hotelier.
"The entire work culture has changed in the corporate world. We no longer work nine-to-five. Each professional undertakes responsibility and works accordingly. If one has to come in on a Friday, one does so and completes the job – and that's how professionalism has changed over the years.
"If a marketing person has to communicate with someone in the USA on a Thursday afternoon (in the USA), he has to be in the office around midnight on a Thursday. And we do. So the entire gamut of work has changed."
However, the poor construction workers do not have the luxury of a two-day weekend. They work in the sun for six full days.
The National Bank of Abu Dhabi (NBAD), the top bank in the country, is currently debating the issue of a two-day weekend for its staff. "A lot of UAE nationals leave our bank after a while because of the six-day week. They compare the bank with other organisations which have a five-day week and prefer to join such entities," said Khamis M. Buharoon, Head of Domestic Banking Division.
"We have proposed to the management a five-day week by adding more working hours during the five days to compensate. However, branches will work for six days and the staff can take their weekly-offs on a rotation basis," he said.
Moreover, most of the GCC countries have opted for a five-day working week.
While Simone DeSa, equity analyst with Union National Bank, also favours a five-day week, she said the UAE should opt for Friday and Saturday as the weekend, rather than the present Thursday and Friday. "We live in a global village and to be in tune with markets worldwide, we would be better off having Friday and Saturday as the weekend because in most parts of the world, Saturday and Sunday is the weekend."
With Thursday and Friday as the weekend here and Saturday and Sunday the weekend in most other countries, effectively four days remain closed for communication or business. "It is time a rational and practical decision is taken in this regard," she added.
Mohammed El Sawy, general manager, Al Masaood Travel & Services, a leading travel agency, said a two-day weekend does a lot of good in increasing the productivity of workers .
"But I think the services sector should work six days a week, or certain essential services even seven days a week, with the staff taking their weekly holidays on a rotational basis. Services such as banking, airlines, hospitals and some others need to be open all days of the week," he added.
Lebanese Iman Ghorayeb, account manager at a PR agency, said: "I used to have a one-day weekend. In my experience, Thursdays were never half days since you would be closing your week and this, most of the time, stretches to the entire day and eats up half your weekend. I used to end up with barely one day to rest and, hence, started the next working week with not enough rest.
"Now, with a five-day week, I take my time on Thursdays to finish the work, knowing that I have a full two days of relaxation. I come back on Sunday fresh, rested, and ready for another busy week of work.
"Efficiency at work does not result only from focus and commitment and time management within working hours, but also from giving one's body and mind enough rest and recharging for the next hectic week.
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